Youth vows to reduce disaster risks

The one-page declaration was agreed unanimously followed two-day of numerous workshops, field-works and breakout session. It contains plan of actions and ideas coming from high school students from around the world. Half of the 650 students came from Japan.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon also sent a video message at the summit praising the youngsters for the commitment to disseminate information and increase awareness about the threats of tsunami and other disasters in order to reduce overall risks.

Secretary General of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and a member of House of Representatives, Toshihiro Nigai, also attended the meeting. In his speech, he said that all countries must be prepared for natural disasters. He pointed out that even though the tsunami is rare but it strikes it can bring great losses of lives and properties. “The best protection is to prepare ourselves,” he said.

He also said one day every place in Japan, there will be English signs that warns and gives guidelines for evacuation for foreigners visiting Japan. “They have to know also where to evacuate,” he said. Nikai was credited with the idea of advocating 5 November as the World Tsunami Awareness Day. Last September, the UN General Assembly approved the date supported by 141 UN members.

During the two-day deliberation, 72 reports were presented by participating high students. They were outcomes of their own research works with some doable recommendations. Their reports were compressed and distilled into one-page declaration.

Nigai said that Japan would continue this effort to raise awareness of all peoples because natural disasters hurt everybody. He also said that to continue this level of workshop, private sector must chip it. “All stakeholders should take part,” he said.

The declaration also pledges to create global and regional networks of high school students to learn together and cooperation with each other.  

“We will make use of our wisdom and vitality as future leaders for disaster risk education. We will not only revitalize the development of local communities, but also contribute to making our cities and countries more resilient to hazards for the sake of ourselves and children in the future.”

The summit was supported by Kochi Prefecture, Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Jakarta-based Asean economic think tank, Economic Research of Asean and East Asia (ERIA) also provides assistance. A follow-up conference will be hosted by ERIA on 15 December in Jakarta. 

During the first day, high students attending the summit exchanged stories of their experience in dealing with natural disasters. Stories from Thailand’s tsunami of 2004 which also damaged Aceh and Indian Ocean were repeatedly referred to.